present tense and past tense, all persons must
1
a
: be commanded or requested to
you must stop
b
: be urged to : ought by all means to
you must read that book
2
: be compelled by physical necessity to
one must eat to live
: be required by immediate or future need or purpose to
we must hurry to catch the bus
3
a
: be obliged to : be compelled by social considerations to
I must say you're looking well
b
: be required by law, custom, or moral conscience (see conscience sense 1) to
we must obey the rules
c
: be determined to
if you must go at least wait for me
d
: be unreasonably or perversely compelled to
why must you argue
4
: be logically inferred (see infer sense 1) or supposed to
it must be time
5
: be compelled by fate or by natural law to
what must be will be
6
: was or were presumably certain to : was or were bound to
if he did it she must have known
archaic
: to be obliged to go
I must to Coventry—
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare1
: an imperative need or duty : requirement
2
: an indispensable item : essential
exercise is a must
: the expressed juice of fruit and especially grapes before and during fermentation
also
: the pulp and skins of the crushed grapes
1
: musk
2
Synonyms
Examples of must in a Sentence
Verb
we must be quiet during the performance
Recent Examples on the WebSusan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Apr. 2024
When performing a Russian manicure, cuticle care is a must.
—Essence, 19 Apr. 2024
Connor Robbins, chief steward of the city lifeguards labor union, said better flood prevention infrastructure is a must.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Apr. 2024
When facing a team with the star power of the Clippers having a defensive ace is a must and that’s what Derrick Jones Jr. provides for the Mavs regularly guarding the opposing team’s best scorer.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Apr. 2024
Many of the pieces are, of course, conducive to layering, which is a must throughout spring.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2024
Better Homes & Gardens Rustproof Double Shower Curtain Hooks
$10
Water can quickly rust metal, which is why these rustproof shower curtain hooks are a must for your bathroom.
—Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Mar. 2024
Hydro Flask 32-ounce Water Bottle A durable water bottle is a must for exploring the arid Outback and working on farms in one of the hottest, driest places on Earth.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2024
This TikTok-viral option from Caraway is a must for PEOPLE Shopping Editor Kayla Kitts, who uses it daily.
—Michelle Rostamian, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024
Noun
Tom's Oyster Bar is a must, but don't skip any of the spots along the path, on either side of the street.
—Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Apr. 2024
When performing a Russian manicure, cuticle care is a must.
—Essence, 19 Apr. 2024
Connor Robbins, chief steward of the city lifeguards labor union, said better flood prevention infrastructure is a must.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Apr. 2024
When facing a team with the star power of the Clippers having a defensive ace is a must and that’s what Derrick Jones Jr. provides for the Mavs regularly guarding the opposing team’s best scorer.
—Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Apr. 2024
Many of the pieces are, of course, conducive to layering, which is a must throughout spring.
—Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 17 Apr. 2024
Better Homes & Gardens Rustproof Double Shower Curtain Hooks
$10
Water can quickly rust metal, which is why these rustproof shower curtain hooks are a must for your bathroom.
—Carly Totten, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Mar. 2024
Hydro Flask 32-ounce Water Bottle A durable water bottle is a must for exploring the arid Outback and working on farms in one of the hottest, driest places on Earth.
—Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2024
This TikTok-viral option from Caraway is a must for PEOPLE Shopping Editor Kayla Kitts, who uses it daily.
—Michelle Rostamian, Peoplemag, 6 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'must.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near must
Cite this Entry
“Must.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/must. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
must
1 of 2 helping verb
məs(t) 
ˈməst
present & past all persons must
1
: is commanded, requested, or urged to
the train must stop
you must read that book
2
: is forced, required, or obliged to
leaves must fall
one must eat to live
we must be quiet
3
: is determined to
if you must go
4
: is very likely to
it must be time
must have lost it
5
: is certain to
the bus must be coming
must
2 of 2 noun
: something required or absolutely necessary
new shoes are a must
Medical Definition
must
noun
: the expressed juice of fruit and especially grapes before and during fermentation
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